Stonehenge is one of the world’s most famous prehistoric monuments and has fascinated historians, archaeologists, and visitors for centuries. I have been one of the puzzled visitors, marvelled by is majestic, intriguing beauty. There is something absorbing about this ancient stone circle, that was completed over a period of an estimated 500 years. ‘Stonehenge was constructed about 4,500 years ago at around the same time as the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.’ (Wexler, 2021) The stones ‘seem to rise from the ground in some antediluvian heave’ (Pitts, 2022)
What type of stone was used to create this monument and where did they come from?
The Sarsen Stones
Sarsen stones weighing up to 25 tonnes were used as one component to build Stonehenge. In 2020, Professor Nash led an archaeological team in testing and researching the Sarsen Stones. ‘The research team carried out non-destructive testing of all the remaining sarsens at Stonehenge. This revealed that most – including Stone 58 – shared a similar chemistry and came from the same area. Just two sarsens appear to come from a different source, as yet unlocated.’ (UCL, 2020)
‘The new findings build on further pioneering research published by Professor Nash last year in which he used the so-called Phillip’s Core to show that most of Stonehenge’s large sarsen stones likely came from a site around 15 miles away in West Woods on the edge of the Marlborough Downs. This new geological research provides further data that could help trace the sources of the remaining stones.’ (Brighton, 2021)
‘The Sarsen stones are a type of silcrete rock, which is found scattered naturally across southern England. (English Heritage, 2019) Whilst these Sarsen Stones are believed to have been found on the surface of the earth and didn’t require excavation, their transportation to site remains speculative. ‘Because of the stones’ considerable weight, rather than using rollers, it’s most likely the stones would have been mounted on wooden sledges that were pulled along on logs laid as rails.” (UCL, 2020) ‘The stone may have been lashed on to a wooden sledge and pulled along logs arranged like railway sleepers using ropes made from plant fibres.’ (Devlin, 2024)
The Bluestones
‘Bluestone is the term used to refer to the smaller stones at Stonehenge. These are of varied geology, but all came from the Preseli Hills in south-west Wales. Although they may not appear blue, they do have a bluish tinge when freshly broken or when wet. They weigh between 2 and 5 tons each.’ (English heritage, 2019)
Although comparatively the Sarsen Stones were far bigger than The Bluestones, it was still an incredible accomplishment for Neolithic builders without modern tools to transport these stones 150 miles. ‘In 2011, a megalithic bluestone quarry was discovered at a site in Southwest Wales known as Craig Rhos-y-felin. Since then, it has been suggested as the source of the Stonehenge bluestones, bolstering the theory that the bluestones were taken to the site by humans. A competing theory is that the stones were brought closer to the site as glacial erratics.’ (Sarah, 2016)
The Alter Stone
‘The rock of the ‘altar stone’ (sic) a micaceous sandstone appears to be represented amongst the fragments dug up and there are other more highly micaceous and very fissile varieties of sandstone amongst the fragments found’ (Ixer, 2019)
‘The Altar stone is often overlooked by visitors to Stonehenge because it lies flat and partly obscured by a huge fallen sarsen. It was long assumed that it had also fallen – yet north-east Scotland is home to multiple circles in which the stones are purposely laid flat.’ (Addley, 2024)
It was long thought that the Alter Stone was from Wales, but new research suggests a different source. ‘When you take this profile — this fingerprint, in a way — of the rock, we can forensically compare it to potential source areas all over the U.K. And when we did that … it was strikingly similar to Orcadian Basin sedimentary rocks. That was surprising, in no small part because Orcadian Basin is in northeast Scotland — over 450 miles away from the site of Stonehenge.’ (Treisman, 2024)
The Mystery of Purpose
Some researchers believe Stonehenge was an ancient burial site, as human remains have been discovered in the area. Others believe it was a place of worship, or even an astronomical observatory. ‘Some, like the Druids, claim it is the source of a mystical power while others, curious but sceptical, believe it to be the site of an ancient monument that has no relevance to the way we live today.’ (Langdon, 2011)
Some researchers believe it was a monument of unity, represented in its stones being collected from separate geographical locations. ‘Stonehenge may have been erected explicitly to unite early farming communities across the island of Britain at a time of cultural stress’ (Addley, 2024)
By identifying where the stones of Stonehenge were quarried, archaeologists can understand the routes, transportation methods and cultural significance of the monument. Analysing the geographical origins offers clues about our ancient ancestors’ capabilities, trade networks, and the purpose of this ancient site. Each discovery brings researchers closer to solving the mystery, transforming Stonehenge from a prehistoric conundrum into a testament to Neolithic ingenuity and ambition. The stones themselves may hold the final answers to this archaeological riddle.
References
Addley, E. (2024, December 20). Stonehenge may have been erected to unite early British farming communities, research finds. The Guardian; The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/20/stonehenge-may-have-been-erected-to-unite-early-british-farming-communities-research-finds
Brighton, U. of. (2021, August 6). Brighton researcher leads first glimpse inside the giant stones of Stonehenge. Brighton.ac.uk; University of Brighton. https://www.brighton.ac.uk/news/2021/brighton-researcher-leads-first-glimpse-inside-the-giant-stones-of-stonehenge
Devlin, H. (2024, August 17). Stonehenge’s altar stone was carried all the way from north-east Scotland. But how? The Guardian; The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/aug/17/stonehenges-altar-stone-carried-north-east-scotland-but-how
english heritage. (2019). Building Stonehenge. English Heritage. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/building-stonehenge/
Ixer, R. A., Bevins, R. E., Turner, P., Power, M., & Pirrie, D. (2019).
Alternative Altar Stones? Carbonate-cemented micaceous sandstones from the
Stonehenge landscape. Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine
Langdon. (2011, May 30). Secrets of the Stones. Stonehenge Stone Circle News and Information. https://blog.stonehenge-stone-circle.co.uk/2011/05/30/secrets-of-the-stones/
Pitts, M. (2022). How to Build Stonehenge. Thames & Hudson.
Sarah. (2016, November 18). The mystery of Stonehenge’s “bluestones.” Geological Society of London Blog; Geological Society of London blog. https://blog.geolsoc.org.uk/2016/11/18/the-mystery-of-stonehenges-bluestones/
Treisman, R. (2024, August 15). Researchers say they’ve found the surprising source of a key piece of Stonehenge. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/08/15/nx-s1-5076832/stonehenge-altar-stone-mystery-scotland
UCL. (2020, July 30). New research reveals origin of Stonehenge’s great sarsen stones. UCL News. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2020/jul/new-research-reveals-origin-stonehenges-great-sarsen-stones
Wexler, J. (2021, December 7). An introduction to Stonehenge. The British Museum. https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/introduction-stonehenge
Figure references:
- Figure 1 – An artist’s impression of people creating Stonehenge https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/
- Figure 2 – Geographical origins of Stonehenge stones https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/20/stonehenge-may-have-been-erected-to-unite-early-british-farming-communities-research-finds
- Figure 3 – An annotated plan of Stonehenge https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/
- Figure 4 – The Sarsen Stones https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/news/2021/aug/first-glimpse-inside-great-sarsen-stones-stonehenge
- Figure 5 – Map showing the location thought to be where The Bluestones originate https://blog.geolsoc.org.uk/2016/11/18/the-mystery-of-stonehenges-bluestones/
- Figure 6 – Location of The Alter Stone at Stonehenge https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/08/stonehenge-altar-stone-hails-from-scotland/153227
- Figure 7 – Stonehenge at sunrise https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/introduction-stonehenge
